


Lessons in Love

by Blue_Night



Category: Football RPF, Original Work, Real Person Fiction
Genre: Alternate Universe, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, First Kiss, Football | Soccer, Friendship/Love, Grief/Mourning, Homophobia, Jealousy, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Secret Relationship, Secrets
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-08
Updated: 2016-06-11
Packaged: 2018-07-13 21:55:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7138961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Night/pseuds/Blue_Night
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It is the year 2017, the start of the new season. The BVB Dortmund has won the German championship and the Champions League and replaced Bayern München as the top club in Germany. Marco Reus is the new captain, and he and Erik live in a secret relationship for a couple of months. Unfortunately, The BVB has some serious problems, and to solve them, the heads of the club agreed to teaching the young American players of the club the 'Blueville Soccers' how to play proper football and to letting their guests from oversea stay with their German colleagues during their stay. Shane Carey and Joe Weston are the ones staying with Erik Durm and Marco Reus. What will happen when they find out that Marco and Erik are a couple in love? And what has happened in their own past, because there seems to be a secret hidden over the past twenty years that has something to do with Shane's and Joe's fathers and the car accident in which Shane's father died when Shane had been a small boy. Will Shane and Joe solve this mystery that somehow bounds them together and maybe even fall in love with each other themselves?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. An uncommon deal

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GoForGoals](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoForGoals/gifts).



> My dear GoForGoals, thank you for your outstanding support and for loving my boys I created more than ten years ago so much. I am so happy you love them as much as I do, and you wanted to learn more about Shane and Joe, their past and their fathers. All of my original characters are actually settled in the world of military, but the story I have written for myself for more than ten years is nothing I would ever post, and I thought that they would fit in the world of football just as nicely. Here in this story, I will tell you their story a little bit differently, but I hope you will like it. nonetheless. Knowing how much you love Durmeus, as well, I thought that this crossover might be something you could truly like. 
> 
> My dear readers, all the original characters showing up here accompany me for a very long time, for me, they are like friends. I used them in my original story 'Dark Nights' and I couldn't resist to also include them into my football fandom. This alternative crossover universe is settled in the year 2017 in a fictive world where Dortmund is Germany's best club having won two titles, but has some financial problems. The American football club 'Blueville Soccers' is my own creation and doesn't exist in real life. Blueville is a city somewhere on the east cost of the USA, and they want to become one of the big clubs in America with the help of the BVB.
> 
> I hope you will enjoy this work, please let me know if you do, your comments and kudos are what keeps me writing.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thomas Tuchel tells his players that the heads of the BVB have made a deal with the American club Blueville Soccers, and Shane and Joe meet each other for the first time during their flight to Germany.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first chapter is more or less an instruction of my original characters to let you know who is who. Others will follow, but this story will focus on Shane and Joe, mostly, and on Erik and Marco, of course. :-)

“There is something I have to tell you, guys!” Thomas Tuchel spoke up after their training match, clapping his hands to get the attention of each of his players. Erik Durm sat down on the bench beside Marco Reus, looking curiously around. “Do you know what Tuchel is talking about?” he murmured, silently, but Marco only shrugged his shoulders. “No, I have no clue what's going on, but he looks serious, so it must be something important.”

Their trainer waited until the murmur coming from several throats subsided again, folding his arms before his chest and leaning against the closed door of the locker room to make sure that none of his players would disappear before he had said what he wanted to say.

“Okay, guys, you all know that we have had some financial issues over the past year, and I do believe that none of us wants something like what has happened about ten years ago to ever happen again.” He waited until the players hesitantly nodded their heads, shooting quick glances at their teammates for reassurance and some knowledge others might have.

“Our heads have found a solution for our problems, and I expect all of you to cooperate and do what's necessary to manoeuver us through the stormy times awaiting us!” Tuchel continued, his glance strict and his eyebrows raised. Erik sighed and leaned back against the door of his locker, curious but also worried, because it had been a rather long time since their trainer had last had such an expression on his face.

Whatever it was he wanted to tell them, Erik was pretty sure that he wouldn't like it.

 

***

 

Shane Carey gazed out of the side window of the plane, watching the buildings and the streets become bigger and bigger as the plane slowly descended. He had never been in Germany beforehand, and he was curious, excited and a little bit scared at the same time. What if the plan their trainer had worked out with the heads of their club wouldn't work out the way they hoped it would? What if the players of the German club wouldn't welcome them, consider their young American colleagues as a burden instead of helping them to become real good players like they all were?

The young man sighed, averting his eyes from the breathtaking sight of the big German city of Düsseldorf coming nearer and nearer, the cars rushing along the large roads not looking like tiny ants any longer, to furtively gaze at the young man sitting in the seat beside him. Joe Weston's face was an impassive mask, and he stared blindly at the backrest of the seat before his own. Shane had only met him at the airport before they had climbed into their plane to cross the ocean and stay in Dortmund, Germany, for the next weeks, and he had to admit that Joe Weston fascinated him like hardly any other person had ever fascinated him in his entire life. The other player was maybe a little bit older than Shane himself with his twenty-three years, at least he looked older because of the stern expression in his dark-brown eyes, his angular features and his military-short-cut brown hair, but he couldn't be much older, because their trainer had chosen only young players being not older than twenty-five years for their project.

Joe turned his head when he felt Shane's eyes upon his face, staring back at him, quietly, until Shane felt the heat creeping up into his face. “Got something on my face?” he finally broke the heavy silence between them, and Shane felt drawn in by Joe's dark voice even though his neighbor didn't sound really friendly. “No, of course, not. Uhm, sorry for staring at you,” he mumbled, sheepishly, casting his eyes down at his fingers clenched around his safety-belt. “It's only that you look so – unmoved while I feel like a giddy, nervous wreck.”

There was another rather long silence, before Joe Weston sighed and briefly touched his arm in an apologetic manner. “I'm sorry, Shane, I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm tired and I hate this uncertainty without knowing how the Germans will react to us and our trainer's plans. You're not alone with your nervousness and your worries, believe me!”

Shane smiled cautiously at Joe. “I'm glad that I'm not the only one feeling this way. Which player will you stay with, do you know him? I mean, have you googled him?” he asked, glad that Joe seemed to be nicer than he had first thought.

Joe nodded his head. “Yes, of course, I do. I didn't even need to google him, because he is well-known and the star of the BVB, their captain.” The brunet didn't really look happy about the player who would be his guide, caretaker and host within the next weeks. Babysitter probably described it much better, because they would hardly be able to orientate themselves in Germany without the help of their hosts. Shane made big eyes, their emerald-green color sparkling with his amazement. “Marco Reus? You will stay with Marco Reus? Uh, wow!” he exclaimed, properly impressed.

“Thank you. I'm not sure that he feels as excited about me being the millstone around his neck for the next weeks as you obviously do.” Joe pulled a face. “And who will be your host, Shane?” he wanted to know, pronouncing his name in a way no one had done so far, just as if Joe wanted to taste it on his tongue.

Shane suppressed a shiver that wanted to run down his spine, forgetting the discomfort he always felt when the plane was starting or landing. “Erik Durm. My host will be Erik Durm. He is a defender like me. He has become a world-champion with only twenty-two!” he said, wistfully. Would he ever become such a great footballer, famous and chased by other top clubs like Marco Reus or Erik Durm already were? Dortmund had won the German championship the last season, and they had even won the Champions League. They had finally replaced the famous club Bayern München at the top of the First Bundesliga and they had surprised the entire football world with their fast and truly unique way of playing football. Unfortunately, the club had had to deal with some serious financial problems for years and which had cumulated over the past months, the reason why Shane and Joe sat in a plane together with a bunch of other players to help the BVB become liquid again.

The deal was as genius as it was simple: Their trainer, Daniel Spark, one of Jürgen Klinsmann's former co-trainers, wanted the BVB to coach and teach his young players how to play football the right way, so his new club, the 'Blueville Soccers', would become one of the top-clubs in America, and the financier of their club, James McBride, would pay the BVB a more than generous amount for their support and help. His only condition had been that the players of the BVB would welcome them as their guests not only when it came to teaching them lessons in football, but also privately, letting them live in their homes and share their daily lives with them. The heads of the BVB had agreed to his request, most likely hoping that the American footballers would teach the bees of the BVB some things, as well, proper English for example.

Joe had watched him, attentively, and now, he smiled at Shane. It was only a brief smile, but it was genuine, and it lit up Joe's dark-brown eyes and his face, and the blond with the beautiful, male features, the emerald-green eyes and the blond hair shimmering like honey forgot how the breathe for one moment. His feelings towards his future teammate were more than only a little bit inappropriate, and Shane did his best to suppress them right away again, but his stupid heart simply didn't want to obey his brain's orders, making a happy flip when Joe said: “You must be a damn good player yourself, Shane. Spark wouldn't have chosen you for the Blueville Soccers if you weren't. Defender yourself?”

Shane nodded. “Yes. And you? A midfielder like Marco Reus?”

“Yep. Ah, look, Shane! We're going down now!” Joe exclaimed, unconsciously grabbing Shane's arm and pointing at the window. Shane swallowed against the slight nausea that pooled in his stomach, focusing on Joe's dark voice and the warmth radiating from his hand instead. Maybe, the next weeks wouldn't be as bad as he had feared they would be, at least, he had found someone he could become friends with, and perhaps, Erik Durm was one of the nice guys and would truly welcome him and not consider him as a millstone around his neck.

Shane drew in a deep breath and slowly unclenched his hands, watching the landscape rushing past them as the plane now rolled over the landing strip. All he had ever wanted had been to become a professional footballer and now, he had the chance to learn from the best. He was determined to make the best out of their stay in Dortmund and when Shane turned his head to look at Joe Weston again, he could see that his new friend wanted to do the same.

Shane Carey smiled, suddenly not feeling afraid of the forthcoming things any longer, but very much looking forward to them, especially when it also led to Joe and him coming closer to each other.

 

***

 

“I can't believe that Tuchel agreed to this! I can't believe that we agreed to this!” Erik exclaimed, unhappily, as he pushed himself through the crowd together with Marco to welcome their American guests at the Düsseldorf airport. Marco shot him a strict look, obviously not pleased by his younger teammate's words. Erik was still amazed how much Marco had changed over the last year since he had become their captain. Marco had taken over the responsibility that came with this assignment and honor, and he had led the BVB to the German championship and the Champions League title, being the strong leader no one had thought he could be in the first place.

Well, no one except for Erik. Erik had known that his secret boyfriend would show his mettle one day, and he was more than proud of him, regretting only that he couldn't show the pride and the love he felt for Marco. Their teammates and Tuchel knew about them being in a serious relationship, they had come out to them after a couple of months, shortly before they had won the half-final of the Champions League against Bayern München, and none of them had reacted badly to their announcement, but for the publicity, they were only close friends and nothing more.

“You know the reason why Thomas agreed to Mr. Watzke's request, Erik. We might be on top of the table, but we have serious financial problems, and Mr. McBride's Blueville Soccers are the solution for them. Mr. McBride is willing to pay a lot of money for us teaching his young footballers our way of playing, and I am sure that it will be fun,” Marco now gently told him off, and Erik pulled a face.

“I have nothing against teaching these Americans our football or soccer how they call it. But, they could have stayed in a hotel during their stay. There is no need to let them live with us!” he pouted, stubbornly.

“Would you really want to stay in a hotel for weeks, maybe months?” Marco asked back, craning his neck to catch a look at the young Americans now coming into sight. Erik sighed. “No, of course, not. But, Mr. McBride could have rented several houses for them?”

Marco shook his head, his eyes fixed on the bunch of newcomers looking curiously around and chatting excitedly with each other. “They would stay separated and isolated during their entire stay instead of learning more about us and Germany, Erik, and you know that.”

“Yes, I know, Marco. But, do you really want to pretend that we are only friends during the next weeks?” Erik had a huge lump in his throat now, especially when his gaze fell upon two of the young players of the Blueville Soccers. They had both blond hair and looked more like models than footballers, and the young defender couldn't help but feel jealous when he saw that Marco was looking at them, as well. “They are good-looking, aren't they?” he asked, his voice trembling slightly.

His boyfriend and captain gazed at him from the side, a tender smile lightening up his face. “You don't have to be jealous, Erik, you should actually know that. You are my number one, and you will always be! And no, I don't want to pretend that we are only friends during the next weeks.”

“But, what shall we do with our players? I can't leave Shane alone, can I?” Erik asked, helplessly, trotting after Marco who followed hard on Tuchel when the Americans left the controls of the airport.

His boyfriend shrugged his shoulders, turning his head and winking at him with one eye. “You can bring 'your' Shane with you so he can spend some time with 'my' Joe while we are spending some quality time alone together,” he whispered, conspiratorially, “maybe, we can teach our American friends some lessons in tolerance and love, as well.”

Erik's eyes became big rounds. “You're kidding me, aren't you?” he hissed back, and Marco stopped as if he had run against a wall, causing Erik to bump into him.

“No, I'm not kidding. I know that we have to be careful when it comes to the publicity, but I won't hide my feelings for you from my house-guest. If Joe Weston will have a problem with me loving you, then Mr. McBride will have to search for another host for him.”

A hot wave of love shot through the young defender with the light-brown hair. He smiled shakily at the older one, stepping beside him and waiting for their American football-students to come to them. Two older men walked in front of them, the one with the dark hair and the silver-gray eyes must be James McBride, his whole posture radiating authority and strength. The younger one was a very handsome man with cognac-colored hair and green eyes with golden sparks as Erik could see now when they had reached their German hosts, he was most likely Daniel Spark, the trainer of the Blueville Soccers.

Behind them, their players followed, all of them looking curious, excited and a little bit scared at the same time. Thomas Tuchel had told them that they were all young, not older than twenty-five, and Erik thought back when he had been in another country with his club for the first time and how confused he had felt sometimes.

Suddenly, he understood why Tuchel and Watzke wanted them to be the hosts of the young Americans. It would be so much easier for them to be a part of their daily lives, and Erik felt a soft flutter of anticipation pooling in his stomach when he thought of showing Shane Carey, the player who would stay with him, around, the beauty of his beloved Dortmund, and that he would be able to teach him some German habits and odds. Maybe, Shane and Joe would get along with each other and not mind to spend time together with Marco and him, and Erik smiled, craning his neck like Marco beside him did to search for 'his' future pupil.

Thomas Tuchel and Mr. Watzke had greeted Mr. McBride and Daniel Spark in the meantime, their English surprisingly fluent. “Mr. McBride, Mr. Spark, it is a pleasure to welcome you here!” Marco now said, politely, slipping easily into his role as the BVB's captain and making Erik's heart beating faster with his love and pride for his wonderful boyfriend once more.

Erik's teammates crowding beside them whispered and murmured, looking around and observing the American players standing behind Spark and McBride and staring back at them. One of the two beautiful blonds he had noticed earlier met Erik's gaze, smiling shyly at him, and when Erik's gaze traveled down to the white polo-shirt the unknown player wore, he felt his jaw drop and his eyes threatened to fall out of his head, because the name written upon the name tag in the height of the blond's sternum was Shane Carey.

One of the most beautiful young men Erik had ever seen, the one who had caught Marco's attention, as well, was Shane Carey, and he would be Erik's house-guest for the next couple of weeks.


	2. An Informative Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik and Marco have picked up their house-guests Shane and Joe from the airport and are having breakfast in Marco's house now. Joe is already fascinated by his new teammate, but Shane seems to be more interested in his host Erik, which irritates not only him, but Erik's secret boyfriend Marco, as well...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will provide you with more information about my original characters showing up in this story, and which Dortmunder will have to take care of their American counterparts. I hope you will enjoy this crossover, I have fun writing it. :-)

Two hours after their arrival in Düsseldorf, Joe found himself sitting at the kitchen table in his German host's large house, watching the blond captain of the BVB finishing the last preparations for a late breakfast together with Shane Carey's caretaker Erik Durm. Marco Reus and Erik Durm seemed to be close friends, judging by the way they smiled at each other and worked together hand in hand as if they had done so oftentimes before. Joe didn't know why he felt as surprised about that as he actually did, because they played together for almost four years by now and it was only natural that teammates seeing each other every day were close beside the pitch, as well.

Joe himself had never sought the company of his teammates he had played with in college except for two or three of them like Hawk Graystone and Zachary Dalton, but he wouldn't have anything against spending more time with Shane in the future. Marco and Erik had asked them whether or not Shane and Joe would be okay with having breakfast together all the four of them, and the beautiful blond sitting opposite him and watching the two Germans with tired eyes had nodded his head, eagerly and with visible relief. It was clear to see that Shane was grateful for having someone he could talk to without any problems, even though Marco's and especially Erik's English was really good. Their German colleagues were even considerate and polite enough to not speak German while they brewed coffee and fried eggs and bacon, and Joe felt a sharp sting shooting through his stomach when he noticed the way his new teammate and friend Shane was looking at the older defender he would stay with for the next weeks. Erik Durm was very handsome with his light-brown hair, hazel-green eyes and the regular, boyish features, and there was a smile lurking in his gaze and around his sensitive lips the entire time. No wonder that Shane felt drawn in to his host and personal teacher, but Joe didn't like the admiring glances the blond shot at the German while he waited for him to join them at the table, at all. Shane made him feel things he had never felt before for any other guy, and Joe was confused about his emotions and didn't really know how to deal with them, especially with the jealousy that rose in his throat like bitter bile and pooled in his stomach whenever he caught Shane looking at Erik.

Of course, he was glad that the German seemed to be a nice guy and had welcomed Shane with a warm smile and a fluently spoken English greeting, but they wouldn't stay for long enough to become real friends, and Joe didn't want to see Shane suffering from a broken heart after their return to Blueville. Joe didn't know whether Shane was more into guys or interested in girls only, but one thing he knew for sure: he wanted to be the only one the beautiful blond admired, and this wish disturbed him more than he would have liked it.

Marco putting the pot with coffee onto the table broke in on his musings, and he looked up just in time to watch his babysitter for the next weeks fill his mug with the strong brew. Joe had always preferred his coffee strong and black without any milk or sugar, and he had feared that the German eating habits when it came to his favorite hot drink would not match his taste. The delicious smell though told him that coffee was as important to the captain of the BVB as it was to him, and he smiled, gratefully, when the older one offered him his mug. “Thank you, Marco – dankeschön – is that correct?” he asked, blowing over the dark-brown shimmering surface.

Marco nodded. “Yes, it is. Dankeschön is the German word for 'thank you', and 'bitte' is the German word for 'you're welcome'. I obviously thought right that you would prefer your coffee strong and without any addition?” he said, apparently pleased with himself that he had been right with his guess. Joe sipped from the coffee, closing his eyes with pure bliss for one moment when the caffeine hit his tongue. “Yes, you did. You really know how to brew coffee!”

Marco chuckled and sat down beside him, serving Shane at first and then, Erik, who had taken the seat beside his blond guest. “I passed the first test, then!” he joked, winking at Joe and Shane with his right eye. “I thought that you would crave for some coffee, Erik and I know jet-lag ourselves. You will have enough time to settle in here, Thomas promised you two days off before we'll start with your lessons.”

Shane covered his mouth with his hand to hide his yawn. “We'll need them, that's for sure. I am so tired that I could fall asleep right here and now. Sorry for that. You must think that I am impolite and find your company boring, which isn't true, believe me.” He spoke slowly to give Erik the time to understand what he was saying, but also because he was exhausted.

“I don't think that you are impolite, Shane, not the least. Like Marco already told you, we know jet-lag ourselves quite well, and after breakfast, I'll drive us home to my apartment where you can take some rest, Shane,” Erik assured him, gently, and Joe felt another sting of jealousy.

“Where will we stay while you have training, Marco?” he asked to distract Shane from his admiration for his German counterpart. The oldest one of their quartet offered him the small basket with the buns. “The season will start next week, so we can't have two days off, as well. As far as I know, your trainer and Mr. McBride will do some sightseeing with you tomorrow and the day after tomorrow while we are at training. I'll give you a key for my house and you can use taxis, most of the drivers understand English at least a little bit. I will practice my address with you so you can tell them where they have to drive you. Today, Thomas freed us from our duties to stay with you, and if you're feeling well enough in the afternoon, Erik and I will do some sightseeing with you,” Marco explained to him, winking again. “The real sightseeing to the interesting places if you know what I mean.”

Joe grinned back, his eyes darting to Shane for approval. “We'd love that, right, Shane?” he asked, and Shane who had started to nibble at a bun, nodded. “Oh yes, please!” he said, suppressing another yawn.

Marco and Erik exchanged a quick glance. “We hope that you have brought swimming trunks with you,” the German defender then asked, looking from Joe to Shane and back.

“I did, how about you, Joe?” Shane's voice sounded hopefully, and Joe would even have swum in his briefs or naked to not disappoint his new friend. “Yeah, me too,” he assured him, and the happy smile he got in return made Joe's heart flip. At first, he had almost hated the idea of having to stay in Germany for several weeks just to learn the German way of playing football, but now, with Shane by his side and Marco and Erik being much nicer than he had thought they would be, he was actually looking forward to the next days, hoping that he would learn more not only about playing football, but also more about the beautiful blond and what he liked. Maybe, this stay would let them come closer, and Joe was willing to change his mind and make the best out of their time here in Dortmund.

 

***

 

Marco had felt as uncomfortable by the thought of having an unknown American footballer as his house-guest for weeks as Erik at first, but he had agreed to Thomas' decision right from the start, knowing that he had to give his teammates a good example as their captain. Their beloved BVB needed McBride's money, and apart from that, he had felt honored and flattered that the Americans considered the Dortmunder as the best players in Germany and wanted his team to teach them instead of Bayern München.

But as he know watched Joe and Shane munching away their buns with something akin to pure bliss on their faces, he started to look forward to the next weeks. Joe Weston obviously had a reserved nature and was no one opening up to others rather quickly, but he seemed to be honest and tough, and Marco was sure that he would be a wonderful play-maker and captain for the Blueville Soccers. They all could learn from each other, the American guys from him and his team, and Marco and his colleagues could learn from their counterparts, as well. Not only how to speak proper English, even though this was the most obvious thing, but also another culture and way of thinking. They all would need a lot of tolerance and they would have to make compromises, the Americans as much as the Germans, and maybe, this would help them to develop a better understanding when it came to other clubs and countries in general.

He smiled at Erik, a brief but tender smile, and his sweet boyfriend smiled back, reassured, before he took another bite from his bun. Marco understood Erik's anger and worries, even though the younger one didn't need to worry that he could lose Marco's love, at all. For him, Erik was the most amazing and beautiful being in the whole wide world, and Marco knew for sure that this wouldn't change. Neither because of another beautiful face, nor because their guests were much nicer than each of them had first thought. The blond midfielder wouldn't hide his love for Erik from Joe and Shane, but of course, he also didn't want to deter them right away within the first couple of hours, because they were both pale from their exhaustion and all the new things threatening to crush them, and the least Marco and Erik could do was to give them the time they needed to recover from their jet-lag and to settle in in Germany before they would tell them that they weren't only friends but also a couple. This would take a few days and for so long, Marco would stay reasonable and keep his longing for Erik under control.

To his luck, Erik seemed to be okay with that, because he didn't try to touch him 'by accident' or smile too intimately at him, quite the opposite, his attention was focused on Shane ever since he had greeted him, and Marco started to feel slightly irritated by that. Yes, Shane was one of the most beautiful young men they both had ever met, only Zachary Dalton, the striker of the Blueville Soccers could draw level with him with his gold-blond hair and his deep blue eyes, but Marco had actually thought that Erik wouldn't fall for the first handsome face he saw just like that.

“Shall I tell you something about our team, Shane?” Erik now asked, and Marco frowned, because this was actually his job as the BVB's captain, wasn't it? Shane beamed at his host and Marco suddenly didn't feel hungry any longer, because Erik smiled back at the American as if he was the only person in Marco's kitchen – in the entire world even. His Erik, who had complained about having to play the babysitter for Shane only three hours ago!

“That would be great, Erik!” The blond defender exclaimed, happily, his smile lightening up the kitchen and upstaging the bright summer sun shining through the window, and both, Marco and Joe pushed their plates to the side with a disgusted expression on their faces at the same time, staring at the two defenders with dismay.

Erik didn't notice his boyfriend's discomfort and Joe's irritation though, he cleared his throat and started to speak, his eyes never leaving Shane's face. “You already know Marco, but I will start with him nevertheless, because he is our captain – a great captain, by the way!” He turned his head to briefly smile at Marco before he focused his attention on Shane again, and the blond midfielder relaxed a little bit. “Thank you, Erik,” he murmured, but the brunet defender waved his gratitude away. “I'm merely telling the truth. Marco has become our captain after Mats had left us to play for Bayern München last season, and he has made significant contributions to us winning the German championship and the Champions League. He has always found the right words to make all of us give more than our best, and he was always there for us even though his injury last summer kept him from playing for a weeks. Marco has been a winger at the start of his career mostly, but he is a midfielder like you, Joe, for years by now, and he is our play-maker together with Nuri Sahin. Without Marco, we wouldn't be the true team sticking as closely together we actually are.”

Marco found himself blushing by Erik's words, touched by how his boyfriend and teammate had portrayed him, but Erik was already speaking again, changing from him to the other midfielder Nuri. “Nuri has the position right next Marco, and sometimes, it seems as if he could look ahead, knowing where he has to pass the ball before our opponents even realize what's going on. I have forgotten the name of the player staying with him. The one with the black hair and the dark eyes.”

“Hawk Graystone,” Joe spoke up before Shane could give the answer, drawing Erik's attention away from his beautiful house-guest for one moment. “Hawk has Amerindian roots.”

Marco watched Erik chewing on his lip, and he craved to kiss the red spot and carry him into his bedroom and make love to him until his boyfriend couldn't move anything but his little finger any longer but unfortunately, this wasn't possible at the moment. “Hawk plays beside you, then, Joe?” he wanted to know to take control of their conversation again. Joe nodded his head. “Yes, he does. We have already played in our college team together, sometimes, he seems to look ahead like your Nuri does, as well.”

“They will have fun together, then!” Erik chuckled. “Your striker Zachary Dalton stays with our Mario Götze.”

Shane's face showed a wistful expression. “Ah, Mario. This is the one who has shot Germany to the world championship, isn't he? He's a genius on the pitch. I can't believe I didn't recognize him, instantly!” he blamed himself, and Erik patted his arm, comfortingly. Marco balled his fists to keep himself from pulling Erik's tanned hand from Shane's tanned arm, staring frustrated into his mug instead..

“Mario wore sunglasses and a cap, there were a lot of people you didn't know and you are tired from the long flight and the jet-lag, no wonder you didn't recognize Mario, Shane. And yes, he can be a genius with the right team,” Erik said friendly – too friendly for Marco's peace of mind. Joe beside him flinched slightly by Erik's words, pushing the halfway eaten bun on his plate from one side to the other.

“I thought that Mario Götze plays for Bayern München,” his own house-guest Joe now said, his voice strangled as if he had forced the words out of his mouth through gritted teeth.

“He did, until last season. Then, he came back to Dortmund, and he has shot the two goals against his former club that vaulted us into the final of the Champions League.” The brunet defender snickered, gleefully. “The Bayern player were truly pissed off after that match.”

Shane snickered, too. “I can imagine. Zachary will be delighted that your trainer chose Mario for him, I guess. He admires him.” He looked at Erik with big, green puppy eyes. “We all admire you!”

Marco watched from the corner of his eye Joe's poor bun being ripped into small pieces, forcefully, the crumbs raining back onto the plate, silently. The American midfielder obviously disliked Erik's and Shane's sudden closeness as much as Marco disliked it.

Erik's cheeks reddened in the adorable pink Marco loved so much by Shane's praise. “Uhm, thank you, Shane. I'm convinced that you are all great footballers, as well. Mr. Spark wouldn't have chosen you for Mr. McBride's project otherwise. Roman Bürki is our goalie, I guess that the guy staying with him is your goalkeeper? It would make sense.”

“Yes, Lewis Berger is our goalie.” Shane tilted his head to the side, smiling at Joe. “He had the same stern expression on his face during the flight like you've had, Joe. He sat beside Zachary and I think that they already hate each other. Zachary managed to piss Lewis seriously off after less than five minutes. Our plane was still ascending when Lewis snapped at him to leave him alone.”

Joe made a rumbling sound that wasn't really a proper answer, but when Shane kept looking at him, he sighed. “I know Zachary from college. He comes across rather arrogantly and carelessly, but he is a good guy. Most people only see his attractiveness and judge him by that and his parents, his mother has been a famous model and his father a successful footballer – I mean our American football with that, not soccer. They don't take their time to look behind his mask, and Zachary has a hard time with showing his true self to the ones who would deserve to get to know the real Zachary. It is even worse when he likes someone, so please give him a chance and don't judge him by the first impression you'll get from him.”

Marco shook his head. “No, we won't do that, Joe. I know how it is to be judged too quickly by superficialities and outer appearances. Erik and I won't do that, and we will make sure that none of our teammates will do that, either, won't we, Erik?”

His boyfriend had obviously problems with forcing his eyes away from his new number one. “Of course, we will, Marco,” he agreed, gifting him with a short nod before turning back to Shane again. “You look so tired, you are pale around your nose, Shane. I would highly recommend that we will leave Marco and Joe now and see to putting you to bed so you can catch some sleep, what do you think?”

Shane hid another heartfelt yawn behind his elegant hand. “I would be grateful for that, Erik,” he agreed, and before Marco knew what happened, Erik and Shane stood up and said goodbye to Joe and him, Erik guiding his blond guest out of his kitchen with his hand pressed firmly against Shane's back and the gently murmured promise that he would find a cozy bed in Erik's flat when they got home.

Marco and Joe sat on their chairs, frozen in place, watching the two defenders leaving them alone without further ado or one last glance back, speechless and with dropped jaws.


End file.
